Interview with Bulletproof Soul
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What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
A lot of us have worked different jobs and had day jobs in the past. That’s something that makes us relatable. We’re very vocal about working class conditions, issues, and how to improve worker rights, and equity.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
We are also an art collective consisting of models, photographers, and other art forms as well. We love art and cinema.
How long has your band been around?
Bulletproof Soul was founded as an entertainment conglomerate comprising of the music collective, art collective, and online publication, on February 28, 2021.
Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
Our collective is largely Miami and Fort Lauderdale based. A large amount of the collective is located around the United States and globe however. DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ, Amouranth, Angela Davis, Wolvenoir, FK Garland, Unkwnexposure, Alek Oni, Kengeta, Lauren Ashcraft and more are just some of our non Florida-based BPS members. We have about the same amount of artists outside of Florida, as we do in Florida.
How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
Our tagline is “for the soul of the culture.” We wanted to create something that kept pop culture alive and well, that said culture should be bulletproof. While doing so, we want to be culturally referential. It’s a reference to the Sade song as well.
Tell me about your most memorable shows.
Performing in Florida is wild. All of them.
What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
Touring outside of Florida will be nice, and we’re looking forward to it.
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Most of the collective would probably say Erykah Badu. Let’s throw a concert with Badu. We need a BPS x BTS crossover at some point. George Clanton is ill. Phoebe Bridgers is sick. We listen to a lot of different genres, and often genre bend in our own music.
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
Have fun with it but don’t make it a career. Go be an engineer, or developer. We need STEM majors. Do something with low supply and high demand, with a stable, good salary for yourself. Cost of living is higher than ever. There are 11 million artists on Spotify alone now, and unless you have serious connections, equity is hard to come by. Far too many people are entering this industry while often lacking talent and cultural or industry understanding. We should strive for less saturation and more artist equity, but it’s all up to executives and capital owners at the end of the day.
If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?
Make as much money as possible. These days that’s just good advice for anyone considering cost of living. Do your best to not compromise your ethical code while doing so, but we all know that can be difficult. This is one of many concepts within our album Grasping Things at the Root.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
“The Reasons”, “The Playoff”, and “The I” are sincere, introspective meaningful tracks on GTATR. All of them are to some degreehowever.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
Our single “The Whip” has done well and has been received well. Tone-wise, it’s very different to the rest of the album.
What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
Chemistry is important for us. Hang out, vibe to a beat that one of us made, conceptualize a track, write verses, head in the booth.
What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
Central concepts within Grasping Things at the Root are dialectical material, material conditions, as well as social conditioning. Modern day systemic realities force many people to do things out of desperation to survive. While in the same way, many people believe certain things, say, or do certain things out of social conditioning, and the presence of these beliefs in their community. The solution to such things is presented in the album as having a community and culture in solidarity with one another, prioritizing community, and education over greed.
Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?
The historical disbandment of many great bands might be why collectives have become popular. Perhaps collectives aren’t expected to be as tight knit. We aren’t admittedly. Some of us are closer. Some of us keep in touch. We want to grow closer as we grow as a collective. However, BPS members keep their individuality and do their own thing, this means disagreements do not happen often, and that’s why we do that. It’s in the structure. Disagreements are bound to happen, and our structure attempts to avoid that.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
Grasping Things at the Root is due July 28 on all streaming platforms.
How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?
We’re on just about every social, you might enjoy our TikToks, but the best way to keep up with everything is by subscribing to our newsletter.